Racers Finish Homestand with DH Split Against Lourdes
Location: Lima, Ohio (Racer Field)
Scores: #23 UNOH 2, Lourdes 0; Lourdes 6, UNOH 3
Records: UNOH (23-7, 11-1 WHAC); Lourdes (6-17, 2-9 WHAC)
Next UNOH Event: Fri. April 3 at Cornerstone University – Grand Rapids, Mich. (DeWitt Stadium) – 12:00 p.m.
LIMA, Ohio – The University of Northwestern Ohio baseball team wrapped up a 16-game homestand on Wednesday afternoon, hosting the Lourdes University Gray Wolves. The day started well, but the Racers' offense sputtered in the second game and the day ended with a double-header split.
UNOH got just enough offense in game one to take a 2-0 win over Lourdes, but in game two the Gray Wolves plated six runs in the first three innings, hanging on for a 6-3 win to snap the Racers' nine-game winning streak over Lourdes.
Alex Leach led off game one of the twin bill with a double, and after a sacrifice from Zyler Cosby, Brandon Collins drove in Leach with a ground out to second base to put the Racers on top 1-0. Collins added a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, pushing the Racers' lead to 2-0, and that proved to be enough for the Racers' pitching staff.
Ryan Carter got the start and threw four hitless innings before giving way to Ruben Medina. Medina tossed a pair of shutout frames, Ryan Burns notched two scoreless stanzas, and John Schreiber came on to record the final three outs to pick up his eighth save of the season – tying the UNOH single season record set by Dylan Brammer in 2012. Carter (3-0) earned the win, walking one and striking out two. Racers' pitchers combined to allow three hits and two walks, while striking out 10.
Leach and James Cardona each had two hits including a double in the game, and Ryan Lozada added a two-bagger as well.
In game two, Enrico Ciuffetelli took the ball, striking out the first man he faced, but that was the highlight of the inning. Three of the next four batters walked, forcing in a run, and the Racers called on Andrew Burton to put out the fire.
Burton managed to limit the damage to one run in the first inning, but the Gray Wolves tallied two runs in the second, and three in the third to build a 6-0 lead. In the bottom of the third, Leach got UNOH on the board with a sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Lozada, Cosby followed with an RBI double, and Collins added another RBI groundout to cut the Racers' deficit in half, and after three innings, Lourdes led 6-3.
Sean Stanley and Patricio Pena combined to snuff out the Lourdes offense over the final four innings, and the Racers threatened to continue their comeback several times. UNOH put two men aboard in both the fourth and fifth innings, and a single runner reached in the sixth, but UNOH came away empty all three times and the game headed to the seventh with UNOH still down by three.
In the bottom of the seventh, Leach and Collins both singled, and Jose Cruz added a base knock to right field to load the bases with two out, bringing the winning run to the plate in Brett Akins. Akins grinded out an eight-pitch at bat, but the result was a groundout to first that ended the game in a 6-3 Gray Wolves' victory.
Ryan Veres (1-1) picked up the win, throwing an inning and one-third of relief, walking two Racers. Ciuffetelli (3-1) took the loss for UNOH, and Sean Koerber (2) earned the save.
Leach singled twice in the game, adding the sac fly and a stolen base as well, and Cosby picked up the only UNOH extra base hit of the game – a double in the third frame.
The Racers will spend their Easter weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan, taking on the Cornerstone University Golden Eagles (10-19, 3-9 WHAC) in a four-game weekend series. Friday's double-header will begin at Noon, with Saturday's twin bill slated for 1 p.m.